Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Arising at a Young Age: Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are low-grade malignancies arising from neuroendocrine cells. Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (PHNETs) are extremely rare and difficult to differentiate from other liver tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cholangiocarcinoma. A 22-year-old male presented with intermittent abdominal pain. A preoperative imaging study revealed a 5.1cm-sized heterogeneously enhancing mass in S6 of the liver, suggesting HCC. Laparoscopic right hepatectomy was performed, and a well-demarcated brown solid mass was found. The pathology report revealed a neuroendocrine tumor of the liver. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography was performed postoperatively to exclude extrahepatic lesions, and no lesions were found. This is a rare case of PHNET that developed at a young age and was misdiagnosed as HCC preoperatively. This suggests that PHNET should be considered one of the differential diagnoses when a non-specific enhanced hepatic tumor is found, even when the patient is young.